Last big painting for the Affordable Art Fair. It felt a big task and a pressure to get 3 paintings done and framed in 6 weeks! All the same size of 80x100cm. I am so relieved to have managed it and I’m pleased with the outcome! I have only painted one this size previously so it was out of my comfort and I learnt quite a bit. I thought you might like to read some points I learnt from doing it:

  1. Be patient. I am used to painting plein air which by nature is quick and immediate, you see the results and reap the rewards quite often on the same day. Big works are a process and it takes me between 6-12 days depending on how much content there is .It also helped me to be familiar with the subjects.
  2. Scaling a small plein air up just because the small one works doesn’t mean it will work as a big painting. In my book it has to be special  – the things I look for are colour and light. If it has these qualities then the large one has more of a chance.
  3. They take more energy and brain power than smaller works! I find big paintings exhausting and I paint my best in the mornings when I have quality energy. Or do chunks of 2 hours at a time through the day.
  4. Don’t be scared to mess up an area to take it to the next level. There’s more of a chance to develop a painting a good area maybe great if you work on it a little more but it may ruin it too! I do a lot of scrapping off!
  5. Use a plein air to inform your bigger piece – although it doesn’t have to be an exact copy. You may want to experiment with the composition and design add more in as there’s more space for it. Which is what I did with the above painting see my plein air below.

Plein air study 24x30cm for the one above